Local News

Council member Larry Giles said he wanted to make sure he did right by the people when it came to unified government.
For the first time since August’s joint county and city meeting, discussion about city and county unification was back on the table at the city council’s Dec. 12 meeting.

The Lawrenceburg man who is charged with stomping a puppy to death before setting it on fire will let a jury of his peers decide if he is guilty or innocent.
Paul “Doobie” Dearinger was expected to enter a plea last week in Anderson District Court, but opted instead to stand trial on a second-degree misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty.
The trial is now set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 in District Court.

Annual Toy Run set for Dec. 11
Wash’s Cycle will host its 12th annual Toy Run on Sunday, Dec. 11, owner Gary Wash announced.
The run will begin at noon at Walmart in Lawrenceburg and end at 2 p.m.
Participants are encouraged to donate a new toy for an underprivileged child.
For more information, call 839-3142.

Donate blood, receive gift card
A blood drive is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 12:30 to 7 p.m. in the Fireside Room at First Baptist Church, the Kentucky Blood Center announced in a news release.

Print journalism is alive and hot off the presses at Robert B. Turner Elementary.
The staff of the Turner Times, composed of fourth and fifth grade students from teacher Lauren Cooper’s Gifted and Talented class, churns out their new school newspaper every month.
Cooper, in her second year as adviser for the class, said creating a newspaper was a tangible means of getting students excited about writing.

One stub from last Saturday’s championship football game could be the golden ticket for $500.
David and Lisa Ruggles, parents of Anderson County Bearcat football player Spencer Ruggles, are sponsoring the Walt and Spencer Ruggles Bearcat Fan Giveaway to be held on Friday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. at the Anderson News.
To enter, ticket stub holders need to write their names and phone number on the stub and bring it to the newspaper office by Dec. 9.

A Lawrenceburg woman admitted last week in federal court that she stole prescription drugs intended to local veterans while she was a mail carrier in the Lawrenceburg post office.
Pamela J. Hawkins, 40, pleaded guilty and admitted that she stole 10 to 11 drug parcels over the past year and a half that were intended for veterans. The parcels contained hydrocordone pills, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office.
There was no evidence that Hawkins was distributing the pills she admitted stealing.

The effort to unify city and county government remains stuck in neutral and is likely doomed to stall.
The Anderson County Fiscal Court on Tuesday tabled for the second time a proposed ordinance that would have authorized the creation of a committee to study unification, and the issue isn’t likely to come up again.
“It won’t be back on the agenda anytime soon,” said Judge-Executive John Wayne Conway, who voted for the motion to table.
Only Magistrate Buddy Sims voted against the motion.

More hours. Health insurance. Vacation time. Sick time.
Embattled health director Brandon Hurley received each of those benefits last Wednesday night during a special-called meeting of the Anderson County Board of Health.
Hurley, who had his hours cut from full time to 22.5 each week last month as the health board expressed dissatisfaction with his job performance, will now be allowed to work 100 hours a month, which is enough to trigger state benefits.